Language Barrier
by adriadewinter
Summary: While travelling, Aurora asks Mulan to teach her Mulan's language. Slightly unexpected results ensue.


**Author's Note:** This story a friend asked me to write. I only wish I could do more with it… Hope you like it!

**Summary:** Mulan takes it upon herself to teach Aurora some of her language with rather unexpected results.

Mulan and Aurora travelled through the woods on their way out of the village. According to an elder they had met, they were going to find information they needed to save Phillip in a cave hidden in the mountains ahead of them. As they fought their way through the underbrush, Aurora heard Mulan muttering under her breath, but she couldn't understand a word. As the underbrush grew thicker, Mulan's mutterings became more frequent and louder until Aurora finally stopped.

Mulan turned, sword hand still raised with her face contorted into a confused expression. "Are you caught, Princess?" She turned and craned her neck in an attempt to see if Aurora was all-right.

Aurora waited with a bemused expression on her face as Mulan scanned her, and she gave a short laugh as she tossed her hair back and smiled. "No, of course not! Like what you see?" Instead of responding, Mulan turned and began hacking a way forward to hide the blush flooding across her face. Following the warrior, Aurora's face fell. She hadn't intended to make Mulan run away, and now she had to make it up to her.

"Mulan, I was wondering… Where are you from? Phillip never got a chance to mention…" Mulan continued hacking away at a path, but began talking as she went—timing her sentences with the downswing of her sword making her words sound as cutting as her blade.

"Phillip met me after I'd fought a war. (slash) I was looking for something to do (slash), and he foolishly picked a fight against a very large (slash), very drunk (slash) pirate. I helped him escape (slash) and agreed to help him search for you. (slash) There is not much else to tell. (slash, slash)"

By now, they had cut their way into a meadow next to a stream and Aurora cast herself down into a sitting position by the river. She watched as Mulan filled their water skins. The warrior was still visibly uncomfortable from Aurora's earlier comment, and was avoiding the girls gaze.

"So where are you from then if you met Phillip when he was travelling? Do you not miss your home?" She paused as Mulan straightened and gazed out over the water into the woods. Leaning back on her knees, Mulan set the water skins to the side and turned to the waiting princess.

"I come from a land far away, so very different from this. There are creatures including dragons that live with us and talk and are not feared, and instead of this obsession with clothing, people concern themselves with meditation. With finding peace with the world. The language we speak is much more… more… vibrant and alive than yours. Unfortunately, my land is far to the east, and I fear it did not survive the curse…"

Aurora looked away as Mulan's head drooped at her last words. Making a snap decision, she jumped up and wrapped her arms around the saddened warrior. When she felt the girl relax, she pulled back and sat nearby, straightening her dress. "Could you teach me your language then?"

"Teach you?" Mulan cocked her head back, confused, yet the corners of her mouth twitched upwards as she spoke.

"Your language, silly! Could you tell me how to say, 'I am Princess Aurora'?" Mulan nodded and quickly responded in her own tongue. As Aurora tried to form the same words as Mulan had, she scrunched her eyebrows up and squinted at her hands. "Did I say it right?"

"Almost, but not quite. Would you like to learn something else instead?"

"What about 'Mulan is my protector, and is going to keep me safe as we travel'?" Aurora asked and smiled shyly up through her eyelashes at the warrior. Mulan flushed a little, but did not look away. She said the words slower this time, and waited for Aurora to try.

More carefully this time, Aurora tried to imitate Mulan's words, so she was surprised when the blush on Mulan's face spread after she spoke. "What is it? What did I say? Mulan! Tell me, please."

Mulan looked back at the princess hesitantly and opened her mouth without speaking several times before she was able to form a sentence. "You just told me I was your treasure, and that you would stay with me forever."

At this, Aurora blushed furiously, and her hands played with the grass at her sides reflexively. She looked up at the warrior who was again staring at the water and reached out to take Mulan's hand in hers. "It may not have been what I meant to say, but it is true nonetheless. No matter what happens, I don't plan to leave you, and I prize your friendship far above any treasure that I could have."

Looking down at their joined hands, Mulan regained her confidence, and she looked up, losing herself in Aurora's deep blue eyes. She lifted her other hand to the princess' face, brushing the tips of her fingers against the skin. As she was about to pull her hand away Aurora caught it, and held it where it was, rubbing her thumb over the back of the warrior's glove as she did so.

"Don't stop, Mulan. Please don't stop." At this, Mulan smiled and leaned forward stopping hesitantly a few inches away from Aurora's face—unsure about how the princess would react. Exasperated, Aurora grabbed the back of Mulan's head and pulled her closer into a searing kiss.

A few minutes later, when they both finally pulled away, Mulan muttered something under her breath as Aurora whispered "Wow." They both smiled happily at each other in the meadow without talking—just happy in each other's company.

As they got up later to leave, Aurora smirked at Mulan. "Can you teach me that in your language too?"


End file.
